That Much Sweeter
by Lady Emily
Summary: Maddie experiences the wedding blues at Bailey and Cody's wedding reception, but with the help of some good friends- and a certain Best Man- she realizes that good things come to those who wait.


A/N: Offhand, I think this momentous occasion marks the first time I had to bump up my rating from _K for all the kids_! T for implied S-E-X, baby. That's right. Very risque, Lady Em!

This story functions as a sequel to my story "Better Than Fine," but you don't necessarily have to read it before this one. I dedicate "That Much Sweeter" to** Man of Faith** and **Elianna22**, who were concerned as to whether I would ever find a girl to put with Zack. Here you go, guys: Zack's happy.

Every time I finish a story I love it the most of all my stories. Hope you all feel the same way! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters portrayed in, nor am I making any profit from writing, this story. Minor spoilers/ dialogue taken from the SLoD episode "Maddie on Deck", and that ep of TSLOZAC with Maddie's prom.

* * *

"Woo!" Maddie Fitzpatrick cried, laughing as the swing band wound down their high-tempo number and her partner maneuvered her into a low dip. She straightened up and applauded with the rest of the crowd. "That was so much fun, Mr. Moseby! You've got some moves!" she said to her former employer with a grin.

Mr. Moseby smiled back. "Well, working on a cruise ship isn't all folding cocktail napkins!" he joked.

The band began to play a slower number and the pair wandered off the dance floor. "I can't believe Cody just got _married_!" Maddie mused aloud. "It seems like just yesterday he and Zack were starting a food fight at the Tipton Masquerade in this very ballroom..."

Mr. Moseby chuckled. "I'm glad it _wasn't_ yesterday. Those boys were a thorn in my side for _years_."

"Not anymore?" Maddie asked, raising her eyebrows. She knew no matter how much he complained about them, the stern hotel manager had developed a soft spot for the Martin twins a long time ago.

"Well, maybe just Zack." Moseby conceded, naming the notorious troublemaker of the two boys.

"I just can't believe they're old enough to be getting _married_." Maddie said again. "It makes me feel so old!"

"How old do you think it makes _me_ feel?" Mr. Moseby said. "We won't even mention how old I am!"

Maddie smiled and patted his sleeve. "You're not so old. Besides, you're young at heart!" she reassured him before changing the subject. "It was a beautiful wedding, though."

"It was, wasn't it?" Moseby agreed. "Cody and Bailey make quite the couple. I sensed that even back in their high school days on the S.S. Tipton."

Maddie smiled sadly. "They're so lucky. They're only twenty-three and they've already found the person they want to spend the rest of their lives with." she sighed. "Meanwhile I'm twenty-six and dancing with my former boss at their wedding reception! Not that it wasn't fun." she added quickly.

"Ah, so _that's_ what this is about." Moseby realized sagely, turning her to face him and placing his hands on her shoulders in a fatherly gesture. "Madeline, I've known you even longer than I've known the bride and groom. You are a smart, attractive, hardworking young woman. You overcame your family's financial situation and put yourself through school. You have lots of friends who would do anything for you." he looked her directly in the eye. "You're going to find success in whatever you do. And that includes love."

Tears came to Maddie's eyes at the earnestness of his voice. "You really think so?"

"I know so." Moseby replied. "Sometimes we may have to wait for the things we want. But once we finally get them, they're _that_ much sweeter for the wait." He pulled her into a hug, which she returned gratefully.

"Thank you."

"Feeling better?" he asked as they separated.

"Much." she responded with a smile, wiping at her damp eyes.

"Good." Moseby said, returning the smile. "...And you know, if you don't want to _wait_, I hear the Best Man was looking for you." he added teasingly.

Maddie rolled her eyes. "Mr. Moseby!"

Moseby chuckled. "I think I'm going to avail myself of the open bar." he said, changing the subject. "Care to join me?"

"Not now, thanks. I need to make a trip to the ladies' room and fix my mascara. Darn you for saying such nice things about me!" Maddie said, referring to the tears she had nearly shed during their talk.

She parted ways with her old friend and hurried out into the cool hallway, locating the bathroom immediately. It had been seven years since she'd worked here, but she still knew the place like the back of her hand. Just as she placed her hand on the restroom door, she saw the door to a nearby linen closet crack open. She watched in amusement as Bailey Pickett- now Bailey Martin- peeked down the hall in the opposite direction before slipping out of the closet and closing the door behind her.

Maddie raised a hand to her mouth to stifle her laughter at the bride's appearance- the skirt of her dress was wrinkled and one strap had slid off her shoulder. Her lipstick was smeared, and several curls of hair had come loose from her elaborate updo. It was blatantly obvious what she had been doing in the closet.

Maddie folded her arms and grinned as Bailey, still oblivious to her presence, furtively attempted to straighten her disheveled appearance. "I _sincerely_ hope that was Cody in there."

Bailey jumped, startled, and rounded on Maddie, blushing when she realized they'd been caught. "Oh, it was Cody, all right." she said with a mischievous grin. She sauntered over to Maddie, the silly grin never leaving her face. "So, Maddie, enjoying the party?"

Maddie burst into laughter. "Not as much as you, apparently!"

Bailey began to laugh too. "When we got engaged, we said we'd wait until after we got married," she confessed. "We didn't say _anything_ about the reception."

"How romantic." Maddie cracked.

Bailey sighed happily, swooning against the wall. "It really was." she said, positively beaming. "It was amazing. You don't know how hard it was to be good and keep my hands off him all these months!" she sighed again. "I love him _so_ much."

It was impossible for Maddie _not_ to smile at the other girl's happiness. "I can tell." she said fondly. "You're practically glowing."

Beaming, Bailey toyed with the wedding band she now wore next to the engagement ring on her left hand. "Is it weird that it's only been about three minutes and I miss him already?"

"You two are _so_ cute." Maddie gushed. "It's not weird. But you seriously cannot go back in there like that. People are going to take one look at you and know you've been doing the dirty!" she teased.

Bailey flushed again, pushing the strap of her gown back onto her shoulder. "Is it that obvious?"

"Well, the hickey on your neck is a pretty big giveaway." Maddie pointed out with a smirk.

Bailey gasped, clapping her hand over her throat.

Giggling, Maddie looped an arm around the bride's waist and led her into the ladies' room. "Come on, let's fix you up."

The bathrooms, like everything else at the Tipton, were spacious and immaculate. Maddie set her clutch purse on the marble counter and turned to Bailey, who couldn't seem to stop grinning at herself in the mirror.

"So this is what I look like as an honest woman."

"An honest woman with lipstick all over her face." Maddie joked. "I can only imagine the rest of it ended up on Cody's collar, but there's nothing I can do about that!" she extracted a tissue from one of the dispensers built into the wall and helped Bailey clean the offending lipstick, before digging into her purse for another tube. "Here, this will match well enough."

As Bailey went to work mending her makeup, Maddie moved behind her and began re-pinning the stray curls that had come loose from her hairdo. Lastly, she produced some concealer and carefully covered up the tell-tale purple mark on Bailey's neck.

"Thanks, Maddie. You're the best." Bailey brushed the wrinkles out of her skirt, examining her appearance critically in the mirror. "Did I get everything?"

Maddie looked over her handiwork. "I think so. Wait just a minute and I'll go back out with you." Quickly, she leaned close to the mirror, wiping the smudged mascara that she had come to fix in the first place.

Bailey latched arms with her friend as they left the ladies' room and headed back to the ballroom. "So did Zack find you yet?"

Maddie started, remembering how Moseby had said nearly the same thing. "No, I haven't really had a chance to talk to him. He's a little busy doing the Best Man thing."

Bailey raised her eyebrows. "I'm sure he'll catch up with you." she said. "I'm pretty sure he was dead serious about you owing him a dance for the one he gave you at your prom." She was referring to a conversation the group had had months ago at Bailey and Cody's engagement party.

"Two." Maddie corrected. "You forgot to add the interest." She'd be lying if she said the conversation hadn't crossed her mind at all in the past few hours... or in the past few months.

"So you and Zack have a history..." Bailey needled, teasing the older girl.

Maddie rolled her eyes. "Depends on how you define 'history'."

"Interesting or significant past experiences?" Bailey rattled off. "Shared emotional background? Set of chronologically-ordered memories that-"

"You are so perfect for Cody." Maddie cut her off, shaking her head. Her friend's literal interpretation of her comment reminded her of Cody's sometimes-annoying habit of being overly informative.

"I know." Bailey said proudly. "But don't try to change the subject!"

"All right." Maddie said. "If by 'history' you mean did Zack used to hit on me relentlessly while I continually turned him down, then, yes, we have a history."

The girls reentered the ballroom and found seats at one of the tables, continuing their conversation. "Why did you turn him down?" Bailey asked.

"Because he was too young for me!" Maddie said in exasperation. "Three years is a big age gap when you're a teenager!"

"It's not that big an age gap anymore." Bailey pointed out. "Not as big as the age gap between, say, you and... Prince Jeffy of Lichtenstamp?"

Maddie groaned. "Just when I was starting to forget _that_ nightmare..." she said, referring to a misunderstanding that occurred when she'd first met Bailey years ago on the S.S. Tipton which resulted in her accidentally getting betrothed to eight-year-old royal Prince Jeffy. Luckily Cody had discovered a legal loophole that stated that anybody could stop the wedding by challenging the prince to a duel for his bride, and Zack... well, Zack had been her challenger. Although the event had certainly been nerve-wracking for her, she couldn't help but smile at the memory that he had been willing to do that for her. Had she ever really thanked him for that?

The band switched to a slow, romantic number and a pair of arms snaked around Bailey's midsection, pinning her to her chair. Bailey smiled as she realized who was standing behind her.

Maddie watched the pair affectionately as Cody bent down to murmur in his new wife's ear."Hey, pretty lady."

Bailey gave him a look of mock warning. "You better watch yourself, buddy. I'm married."

"Yeah?" Cody grinned, taking hold of the hand she extended to him and pretending to examine the rings she wore. "Who cares? Come dance with me- your husband never needs to know." he tugged her hand and she stood up.

"Well..." she deliberated, running a single finger up his chest.

Seemingly unable to take any more teasing, Cody lowered his head and captured her lips with his own.

"Aww..." Maddie cooed. "You two are such dorks!"

The couple broke apart, grinning unashamedly. Cody held out his arms for a hug. "Hey, Maddie."

"Hey, Cody! Congratulations!" Maddie rose and gave her old friend a tight hug. "_I mean about the wedding, not the linen closet._" she whispered cheekily in his ear before she pulled away.

Cody blushed and shot a look at Bailey, who shrugged sheepishly. "Uh, thanks, Maddie." he said slowly.

Maddie placed a hand on each of their shoulders and turned them towards the dance floor. "Go dance." she told them. "We'll catch up later."

Not needing any more urging, Cody extended his arm to Bailey. "Mrs. Martin?"

Bailey linked her arm with his. "Mr. ... Er, I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name." she said coyly, letting him lead her onto the floor.

Maddie shook her head at their lovey-dovey antics and sank back into her chair, only to feel a tap on her shoulder.

"I came to collect on my debt."

Maddie turned around to see Zack standing behind her, holding his hand out expectantly for hers. Smiling, she stood and embraced him. "Hey, you."

He kept his arms loosely around her waist when he pulled back to look at her. "Hey yourself." he said smoothly. "You look gorgeous."

"Thank you." Maddie said, self-consciously tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear. "You look great too. Rockin' the tux."

"Thanks." Zack said with an easy grin. "Now, are you gonna come dance with me, or do I have to send some goons to break your legs?"

"Well when you put it that way, how can I refuse?" Maddie joked, accepting his hand and following him onto the dance floor. They wove into a clear spot in the midst of the other dancers, and then Zack stopped, facing her and placing his hands on her waist. She rested her forearms on his shoulders, clasping her hands together behind his head, and they swayed together in comfortable silence for a few minutes.

"It's funny," Maddie said finally, "Bailey and I were just talking about you."

"About my devastating good looks?" Zack guessed saucily.

"Not quite." Maddie smirked. "Although given how disgustingly head-over-heels she is for your identical twin, I don't doubt she'd agree with that sentiment."

Zack laughed. "Yeah, they're sickeningly happy together, aren't they?" His tone was snide, but he was obviously truly happy for his brother and Bailey.

"Sickeningly." Maddie agreed. "Anyway, we were talking about that time I visited you all at Seven Seas High. The Prince Jeffy fiasco."

"Ahh, Prince Jeffy... I'd almost forgotten about that... Wait... Huh..." he cocked his head to the side, as if remembering something. "I'm gonna have to check with Cody for the legal conditions on this, but don't I still _own_ you from that?"

Maddie glared at him. "Uh huh. Right."

"No, really." Zack pressed. "Those were the rules: two challengers duel, the winner gets the woman." He removed one hand from her waist momentarily to tap his chin with one finger. "But where should I _keep_ you?"

Maddie swatted his shoulder. "Dream on, Martin."

Zack didn't reply, but his borderline-lecherous grin said, _I will_.

"Anyway," Maddie continued, "I couldn't remember if I ever said thank you to you. You know, for being my knight in shining armor." she nudged him gently. "And for participating in that embarrassing Styrofoam noodle duel."

The teasing grin faded from Zack's face as he looked at her. "It was my pleasure." he said warmly. "I was totally in love with you as a kid. I would gladly have done anything for you." he gave her waist an affectionate squeeze. "I still would."

Maddie raised her eyes to his to see that he was being totally serious. Zack perplexed her sometimes- he could certainly be obnoxious, immature and a hopeless flirt, but every once in a while he would say or do something completely honest and sweet and perfect.

Something that made her wish she and Zack really _could_ be something more than just friends.

She found herself thinking about the last time they had danced together- he had been twelve years old and she fifteen. They were in this very ballroom, she realized, and he had just saved her from becoming the most hated person in school by resuscitating her boring freshman prom. She remembered how upset he had been when he realized she had wanted a senior guy to ask her to the prom, when all Zack had wanted was to go with _her_. She had let him down gently and asked him to dance, promising that she, in turn, would dance with him at his prom. "You were the cutest kid." she said aloud.

"Huh?"

Maddie smiled to herself- he obviously hadn't been following her train of thought. "Oh, I was just thinking about the last time we danced. After you rescued my prom." Maddie told him. "You were so miserable that night..."

Zack shrugged. "Three-year age difference. What are you gonna do?"

Maddie shook her head. "You don't know how many times I wished you were older." she confessed casually.

Zack froze. "What?"

Maddie blushed. "You know, I wished you were older. So that it would be acceptable for us to date."

Zack still didn't move, and Maddie quickly grew flustered, blushing an even deeper red. "I mean, not that I wanted to date a little kid or anything. But it was _you_, and you were always so sweet to me, and I knew if we were the same age, you would be this great... you know, boyfriend... and I... I just always hated the way I had to hurt your feelings by turning you dow-"

She was cut off suddenly by the press of Zack Martin's lips against hers.

Maddie didn't understand what was happening. She felt momentarily dizzy. Her knees felt suddenly weak. Automatically, her hands flew to his upper arms, ready to push him away, but instead, they fisted the material of his jacket, pulling him closer. One of his warm hands was pressing against the bare skin of her upper back, while the other cupped her face softly, tenderly, as his lips continued to caress hers. The kiss came to a natural close and he pulled back, his breathing ragged.

"Maddie." he murmured.

Her eyes were still closed, and she could feel herself shaking. Taking a deep breath and a moment to calm her racing heart, she opened her eyes and found herself looking up into a familiar face colored with unfamiliar emotion. "Zack..." she said, her voice coming out as a hoarse whisper. She tried again. "Zack, this is crazy..."

"I know." he replied, and she could practically _feel_ his blue eyes focusing intently on her face. "But I'm not twelve anymore."

"I, uh, noticed that." Maddie said breathlessly, focusing on smoothing out a wrinkle in his jacket instead of looking into those eyes.

"You don't know how long I've been waiting to be able to do that." Zack murmured, and Maddie's eyelids dropped as she recalled Moseby's words from not an hour ago. _Sometimes we may have to wait for the things we want..._

"Waiting?" she repeated softly.

_But once we finally get them, they're that much sweeter..._

He reached down and grabbed her hands, holding them in his own, and she finally found the courage to meet his gaze. "The first time I hit on you, you told me to call you in ten years." he said with a small smile. "It's been ten years, and I'm calling."

She choked out a laugh around the lump in her throat. "I can't believe you remembered that."

"Well?"

"I'm not sure what you call _that_, but what I meant was, a _phone_ call." Maddie joked weakly.

"Maddie."

He was being completely serious again, and hearing her name in his serious voice sent a shiver up her spine. "Zack, I... I don't know." She bit her lip, hoping against hope that he would know what was supposed to come next, because _she_ didn't have the faintest clue.

But he was just looking back at her, wearing the same expression he'd worn all those years ago as they'd both realized she was safe from Prince Jeffy's juvenile clutches, and that _he_ was the one who'd rescued her.

"_Who knew you'd turn out to be my knight in shining armor?"_

"_Well... I did. And I always knew you'd be my princess."_

Maddie blinked, and she was seeing 23-year-old Zack once more. "Well, Sweet Thang," he said, using the (unwanted) pet name he had coined for her as a teenager, "Are you really going to break my heart in the same place twice?"

She gently pulled her hands from his, and, seeing the look of defeat in his eyes, quickly placed one on each side of his face. "No." she said softly, just before she kissed him.

* * *

"Told you so. Pay up." Bailey Martin gloated to her husband as she sat perched on his lap and they both watched Zack and Maddie together on the dance floor, kissing as though they were the only two people in the world.

"No fair!" Cody complained, hardly able to believe what he was seeing. "What in the _world_ did you _say_ to her?"

Bailey smiled and shrugged. "Nothing she didn't already know." She held out her hand and accepted the twenty-dollar bill Cody handed her. "Pleasure doing business with you."

"Remember when we used to make bets for kisses and foot rubs, instead of real money?" Cody grumbled.

"Yep. But we're grown-ups now. Welcome to the real world." Bailey taunted him playfully, tucking the twenty into the front of her dress for safekeeping. "Besides, now that we're married, I already _own _all your kisses."

Cody's expression softened as he regarded his wife. "Yes you do." he murmured, smiling. To prove it, he kissed her on the lips. "Yes you do."

* * *

A/N: Please review! I'm so excited to hear your thoughts on this one! Thanks for reading!


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